Kenyan Men Embrace Female Surnames Despite Social Pushback

How men with female surnames are standing – Across Kenya, a quiet revolution is reshaping naming traditions. While most children historically receive their father’s first name as their family surname, an expanding number of individuals are selecting their mother’s name instead. This movement has gained particular momentum among the Kikuyu community, Kenya’s most populous ethnic group, sparking both admiration and mockery for men who carry feminine surnames.

Women and girls who adopt maternal surnames encounter considerably less social criticism. Many even transition to their husband’s first name upon marriage. Advocates argue this naming shift signals evolving perspectives on women’s roles within Kenya’s traditionally male-dominated social structure. Critics, however, question those who receive or deliberately choose their mother’s surname.

Breaking Barriers in Public Life

Men bearing female surnames once occupied rare positions in Kenyan society. Today, political representation tells a different story. John Njũgũna Wanjikũ, elected to parliament in 2021, exemplifies this transformation. Raised by a single mother, he earned the affectionate nickname “Ka-Wanjikũ,” translating to “child of Wanjikũ.”

Some individuals like Wanjikũ received their feminine surname at birth, while others actively selected it to honor maternal figures. Music pioneer Peter Kĩgia represents an early trailblazer in this movement. Now in his sixties, the benga musician performs fast-paced, rhythmic guitar folk music featuring Kikuyu lyrics. Known as “Kĩgia wa Esther” or “son of Esther,” he registered his record label as Wa Esther Productions.

“When you take your mother’s name, it means you love and respect her,” Kĩgia explained to the BBC. His choice has since acquired prestige within Kenya’s entertainment sector. Younger male artists now follow his example, with promotional posters featuring performers like Waithaka wa Jane and 90K Ka Msoh appearing throughout Nairobi.

Personal Stories of Choice and Challenge

Journalist Simon Macharia Wangũi made a conscious decision to adopt his mother’s name as his official surname. “Why give somebody credit where it does not exist?” he questioned regarding his father, who remained largely absent from his life. Primarily raised by his grandmother, Macharia Wangũi lost his mother in 2003 at age twelve. He lacked a surname until his final high school year when he applied for a birth certificate.

Not everyone views female surnames positively. Evans Kibe Waceke, a broadcaster carrying a feminine surname, notes persistent social stigma. “Some Kenyans still think that a child raised by a single parent ‘lacks certain morals,'” he observed. “People perceive you as undisciplined, especially when you are raised by a single mother.”

Two years ago, motivational speaker Robert Burale ignited controversy by claiming female surnames weakened male identity. This statement prompted television personality Fred Mũitĩrĩri to share his personal struggles. He revealed dropping his mother’s name entirely, using only his English and Kikuyu first names.

“Do you know how embarrassing it is for a boy to be called out, in a room full of kids, [with] a girl’s name?” he wrote on Facebook, describing his diminished self-confidence. “From some of those experiences, I developed depression at the age of 23.”

Cultural Perspectives and Inheritance Rights

Wairimũ Mũkũrũ, a young Kikuyu cultural specialist with substantial social media influence, attributes the growing acceptance of female surnames to increased single-mother households. Nevertheless, she considers the practice culturally unusual, noting that sons of unmarried women typically receive male surnames.

“In the event that your mother doesn’t tell you who your dad is or he rejects you, your mother’s eldest brother takes up that role,” she explained to the BBC.

Mũkũrũ further clarified that male relatives sometimes hesitate to assume this responsibility because it grants children inheritance rights. Mũgwe wa Njũhĩ, representing the Kikuyu cultural organization Kiama Kĩa Ma, concurred that uncles may decline using their names to prevent property disputes.

Despite these concerns, he emphasized that female surnames deserve respect. According to Kikuyu tradition, the community traces its origins to ten daughters born to the founding couple, Gikũyũ and Mũmbi. “I am Mũmbũi by clan,” he noted, referencing one of these ancestral daughters.